The majority of Latvian actors personified some social phenomenon of an era on-screen, and created character types appropriate to their time. Though, there were some who were destined to be stars, embodying the public’s desire for an ideal, both physically and spiritually.

During Riga Film Studio’s “golden years” (1970s-80s), the studio produced 7-8 features per year, guaranteeing regular work for the actors and directors. The films were created for the audiences of the Soviet Union - a vast, Russian-speaking area. The films were often shot in Russian, though in most cases they were later dubbed into Latvian. The Soviet Union’s audience was grandiose, and films such as Devil’s Servants (“Vella kalpi”) and Wader in the Bog (“Purva bridējs” – known as Edgars and Kristine outside of Latvia), were seen by several tens of millions of viewers, ensuring huge popularity and star status for the films’ actors, and providing them with large honorariums and social privileges.